JEGS Allstars Preview: A closer look at each of the contenders in each class
Every year for the last 39 years, NHRA’s best Sportsman drivers have come together for the annual JEGS Allstars competition. They will compete for more than $125,000 in prize money at the upcoming Texas 91 FallNationals. Here is a closer look at this year’s contestants.
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER
Karen Stalba East Region
Already has a pair of regional victories this season in a car that is capable of running with the best in the class. Hoping to double up with husband, Tom, who is the Allstars rep in Super Comp. Also celebrated a win with kids, Paul and Emily, who excel in the Jr. Dragster league.
Matt Cummings East Region
Defending East Region champion is once again with the highly respected McPhillips team; Cummings has been to three final rounds this season with one win.
Joe C. Maynard North Central Region
A last-minute substitute for Tony Stewart, Maynard has a pair of national event wins this season in Gainesville and Charlotte, and he’s solidly in the top 10.
Mike Coughlin North Central Region
A cornerstone of the JEGS.com team for four decades, he has had success in a variety of classes but seems to have found a home in Top Alcohol Dragster with two wins in three finals this season, and he comes in as the No. 2 driver in the points standings.
Julie Nataas Central Region
Undefeated in the last three JEGS Allstars competitions and the reigning world champion. Nataas has been to three final rounds this season and recently made her long-awaited Top Fuel debut at the NHRA Midwest Nationals.
Prescott Dean Central Region
Racing as part of the Randy Meyer team, he kicked off the season with a runner-up in Las Vegas and then won a pair of regional events at Flying H Dragstrip and Brainerd Int'l Raceway.
Casey Grisel West Region
The last time he raced was in late July, and he turned on the win light in the final round of the Seattle national event. Also went to the final of the regional event in Woodburn, Ore.
Shawn Cowie West Region
Enjoying another solid season with two wins in five final rounds and a shot at the world championship. Has accomplished a lot in the Top Alcohol Dragster class but still looking for a first JEGS Allstars title.
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
Chip Beverett East Region
Enjoyed a solid run at midseason with back-to-back wins at the Cecil County Dragway and Reading regional events. Also holding steady with a spot in the top 10.
Matt Gill East Region
Has raced sparingly this season but did accumulate enough points to make the team, including a runner-up finish in Epping. Interestingly enough, he has never drag raced anything other than a Top Alcohol Funny Car, and so far, that has worked out well.
Chris Foster North Central Region
A holeshot win in the Bowling Green, Ky., final (the 17th of his career) and three other final rounds have been season highlights so far in 2024. Currently No. 7 in a tough Top Alcohol Funny Car points battle.
Sean Bellemeur North Central Region
In the midst of another dominant season with the Bartone Bros. entry with eight victories and a big lead in the standings. He’s also the defending JEGS Allstars champion.
Christine Foster Central Region
Competing alongside husband, Chris, in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class, she’s had similar success with a regional win in Brainerd to go along with final rounds in Odessa, Mo., and Belle Rose, La.
Kyle Smith Central Region
The 2022 JEGS Allstars champion is making his fifth appearance as part of the Central Region team. So far this season, he has got two wins in four finals and is solidly in the top 10.
Brian Hough West Region
The 2021 JEGS Allstars winner came out of the gate charging this season with back-to-back wins in Phoenix and Pomona and has since been to two more final rounds.
Ray Martin West Region
Swept both races of the West Region doubleheader in Woodburn, Ore., earlier this season. Currently sits just a few points outside of a coveted spot in the top 10.
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR
Steve Szupka DIVISION 1
One of the few drivers to double up at an NHRA national event (Belle Rose, La.); he has run just six Comp events this season, but three of them have been wins.
Santo Volpe DIVISION 2
Past NHRA U.S. Nationals champion is driving for Chris and Susan Wentzel with a car that has the ability to get the job done. He has appeared in two final rounds so far this season.
Allen Wilson DIVISION 3
Two-time national event winner went to the final round of back-to-back Division 3 events in Norwalk and Columbus to help secure a spot on the Allstars team.
Rick Brown DIVISION 4
Division 4 is arguably the toughest place for a Comp racer, so it’s an achievement just to make this team. Two final rounds and two semifinals this season helped make that possible.
Matt Harris DIVISION 5
Kicked off the season with a win in Earlville, Iowa, over rival Brett Speer and then added several more late-round finishes. Looking for first Allstars victory in his sixth attempt.
Ryan Warter DIVISION 6
Not an exaggeration to suggest he’s having the best season of his career with five victories and a genuine shot to win the championship. Currently No. 2 to divisional rival Cody Lane.
Ryan Priddy DIVISION 7
Driving the Mountain View Performance A/Altered, one of the fastest cars in the field, the 2022 NHRA Comp world champion has two wins in three finals this season.
Chase Williams Blocker
Had a monumental season in 2023 with a NHRA U.S. Nationals win and a JEGS Allstars title. Also had success this season with a win at the JEGS NHRA SPORTSnationals event in Belle Rose, La.
SUPER STOCK
Justin Picillo DIVISION 1
Racing for Eddie Bloom, he kicked off the 2024 season by making the final in Reading and tacked on a few other late-round finishes, which helped secure a JEGS Allstars berth.
Don Barber DIVISION 2
Needed to go to the semifinals at the South Georgia Motorsports Park NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event and withstood the pressure for a runner-up finish to go with a solid 2023 finish.
Jeff Dona DIVISION 3
With three wins this season, he comes to the JEGS Allstars as the points leader in a stacked field of Super Stock racers. Previously won the JEGS Allstars in 2019.
Hunter Pierdolla DIVISION 4
Won the Division 4 season opener in Belle Rose, La., and then tacked on a second win in Dallas to secure his spot on the team. The Dallas final was a winner-take-all race against Shane Blackmon.
Jason DeForrest DIVISION 5
Earlier this season, he won both the national and divisional event in Brainerd to go with a semifinal in Earlville, Iowa. The Brainerd divisional win came at the expense of world champ Wyatt Wagner, who was previously leading the Allstars standings.
Troy Olsonawski DIVISION 6
Defending JEGS Allstars champion scored enough points to return as the Division 6 rep, rather than a blocker with his wheelstanding Chevy wagon.
Trey Vetter DIVISION 7
Consistency has been the key this season with a win, a runner-up, and a bunch of semifinals to punch his ticket to Dallas for the JEGS Allstars. Credits Justin Lamb for helping to provide a consistent race car.
Ty Gaynor BLOCKER
As a 16-year-old high school student, he has had limited opportunities but made the most of them with a win, a semifinal, and a quarterfinal in the three divisional events he was able to attend.
STOCK ELIMINATOR
Matt Lisa DIVISION 1
Past NHRA U.S. Nationals champion got off to a flying start with a win at the first points event and managed to hold off the rest of the division with a few other late-round finishes.
Michael Brand DIVISION 2
A capable fill-in for Jeff Longhany, Brand won earlier this season in Rockingham, N.C., and he’s sitting just outside the top 10 in the race for the Stock world title.
Houston Raikes DIVISION 3
A national event winner at the age of 16, he’s no stranger to pressure situations. Somehow went from first to fifth and back to first in the JEGS Allstars standings with a win at the Indy divisional.
Will Emmons DIVISION 4
The latest generation of Emmons racers won earlier this season in Nobile, Okla. To kickstart his Allstars campaign.
Larry Dyck DIVISION 5
Canadian racer took delivery of his COPO Camaro from Patterson Racing in 2022 and has done well, including a runner-up in Earlville, Iowa, and a strong showing in Brainerd to earn a spot on the Division 5 squad.
Dennis Radford DIVISION 6
A runner-up at his home event in Boise, Idaho, was enough to make the formidable Division 6 team, which last won the overall team title in 2006.
Jared Jordan DIVISION 7
Enjoying a monster season so far with a win, a runner-up, and a pair of semifinals to produce a likely top-10 finish. Managed to win a tiebreaker with CW Hoefer to earn his trip to Dallas for the Allstars.
Joe Sorensen Blocker
Defending JEGS Allstars champion is having an incredible season with two wins in five finals, and he’s among the favorites to capture the Lucas Oil Stock world title.
SUPER COMP
Tom Stalba DIVISION 1
Multitime Division 1 champ used a consistent string of late-round finishes to lock up his spot on the Division 1 team. Previously won the JEGS Allstars Super Gas title in 2003.
Rusty Cook DIVISION 2
One of the most accomplished racers in the field, he’s also the blocker in Super Gas. A win earlier this season in Gainesville helped set the stage for his appearance in Super Comp.
Nathan Prose DIVISION 3
Division 3 rep is peaking at the right time with a strong showing at the recent events in St. Louis. A semifinal at Flying H Dragstrip earlier this season also provided a big boost.
Michael Holcombe DIVISION 4
When you go to three straight semifinals, good things tend to happen, including an invite to the JEGS Allstars race. Managed to hold off Christopher Dodd by a single point.
Rick Milinazzo DIVISION 5
A win in Earlville, Iowa, a runner-up in Brainerd, and a semifinal in St. Louis have helped make for a successful 2024 season so far. Had to replace an engine at midseason, but that wasn’t enough to derail his JEGS Allstars bid.
Tom Clark DIVISION 6
A late-round finisher at the huge Spring Fling bracket event, he won the final points event in Earlville, Iowa, to secure an Allstars invite. He’s also got a rare perfect run to his credit this season.
Bill Webber DIVISION 7
The entire Webber family has had success this season, and it’s continued with Bill making the JEGS Allstars team. That’s possible due to a couple strong finishes in Phoenix and a win in Las Vegas.
Mark Powers Blocker
Won this race last season, which allows him to return as a blocker. This season has been filled with a number of late-round finishes.
SUPER GAS
Jason Kenny DIVISION 1
Won this race in 2010, so it’s been a long wait for a second chance. Currently, he’s fighting for a spot in the top 10 in Super Gas with a win, a runner-up, and a semifinal this season.
Tim Powell DIVISION 2
The champion of the 2015 Atlanta race, he earned his JEGS Allstars invite thanks to a win in Rockingham. More recently, he was a runner-up at zMax Dragway.
Joey Shipp DIVISION 3
The reigning Division 3 Super Gas champ has emerged from a tough field to qualify for the Allstars race thanks to a bit of help from Luke Bogacki, who took out his main rival earlier this year in Indy.
Vernon Rowland DIVISION 4
The winner of three national events in 2019, he has got a chance for Allstars glory thanks to a win in Belle Rose, La., to start the season and a runner-up in Nobile, Okla.
Jeremy Demers DIVISION 5
Winning the JEGS Allstars title is a bucket-list item, and he has got a good chance to do that following a 2024 season that already includes a win in Earlville, Iowa, and a couple of semifinals.
Michael Dalrymple DIVISION 6
By the narrowest of margins, he earned a spot on the Division 6 team using multiple tiebreakers. With three wins this season, he’s also solidly in the top 10.
Mike Boehner DIVISION 7
A slow start this season proved to be no cause for concern as he rallied with wins in Las Vegas and Boise. The Vegas win was key as it clinched the JEGS Allstars berth by a single point.
Rusty Cook Blocker
With three wins in the last three years, he’s on the verge of making some serious JEGS Allstars history. A win at the Indy divisional and a runner-up in Bowling Green, Ky., this year also helped provide confidence.
SUPER STREET
Darren Wood DIVISION 1
Past JEGS SPORTSnationals winner ended the 2023 season as the Allstars leader but later fell to second. A midseason rally helped secure a spot on the formidable Division 1 team.
Donald Webb DIVISION 2
The 2013 Division 2 champion and former IHRA series champ won this year’s events in Orlando, Fla., and Cecil, Ga., to lock up his spot in the Allstars and also lead the way in the Southeast Division.
Alan Bush DIVISION 3
Driving a car he has owned since he was 16, he’s currently tied for the lead in the North Central Division standings; he went to the final in Columbus.
Jimmy Denham DIVISION 4
A win at the season opener in Belle Rose, La., was just enough to earn a spot on the team. Managed to hold off current leader Chuck Weir for the honor.
Ed Holmgren DIVISION 5
After winning the Tri-State Raceway event late in 2023 and then going to the final of the Earlville, Iowa, race this season, he still had to sweat out a close battle to earn his way to Dallas.
Cary Huber DIVISION 6
After years on the sidelines, he’s returned and enjoyed enough success to make the JEGS Allstars team. That includes a runner-up in Acton, Mont., earlier this season.
David Keisel DIVISION 7
A successful weekend in Las Vegas that included a semifinal and a runner-up helped fuel 2018 NHRA Arizona Nationals winner Keisel’s drive to make the JEGS Allstars team.
James Brown BLOCKER
When blocker Art Hoover was unable to make the trip to Dallas, Brown got a surprise call and was happy to answer it. Brown is the current Division 7 leader with a pair of final-round showings.
RIGHT TRAILERS TOP DRAGSTER
Vince Musolino DIVISION 1
Reigning world champ had a monster 2023 season, and that has carried over to 2024, where he earned a JEGS Allstars berth. He also won Tuesday’s Lucas Oil Series event at the Texas Motorplex, which can do nothing but help confidence.
Clint Riley DIVISION 2
Winner of the Top Dragster class at the 2019 Atlanta event, he more recently won the Division 2 event at South Georgia Motorsports Park to secure his spot in the JEGS Allstars.
Jim Prevo DIVISION 3
Former drag boat racer didn’t realize he was in the hunt for a JEGS Allstars berth until he won the North Central Division race in Norwalk. He has since added a semifinal at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.
David Bills DIVISION 4
The 2024 season could not have started any better for Bills, who went back-to-back at Division 4 events in Belle Rose, La., and Nobile, Okla., to clinch his spot on the JEGS Allstars team.
Mark Grame DIVISION 5
Currently holding steady in the top 10, his 2024 season includes three wins, including two in Earlville, Iowa. More recently, he went to the final in the Texas Motorplex LODRS events.
Dylan Hough DIVISION 6
Comes to Texas as the championship leader in Right Trailers Top Dragster thanks to a pair of wins and three runner-up finishes. Dad Brian won this race in Top Alcohol Funny Car in 2021.
Cody Webber DIVISION 7
Joining his father, Bill, in the JEGS Allstars following a dynamic season that includes a pair of wins in Las Vegas and a recent final-round showing at the Division 7 event in Bakersfield.
Brandon Miller Blocker
Division 1 ace not only won the world title last year in Right Trailers Top Sportsman, he also won the JEGS Allstars crown in Top Dragster, which gives him the right to return this season as a blocker. Will have a chance for a rare double with second entry in Top Sportsman.
RIGHT TRAILERS TOP SPORTSMAN
Brandon Miller DIVISION 1
Defending world champion in Top Sportsman and winner of the 2023 JEGS Allstars Top Dragster title will have a chance to double up here. Hasn’t raced in a national event this season but has a win and two semifinals in divisional competition.
Dale Thaxton DIVISION 2
A self-described “small family team” that delivers big results, including two Lucas Oil Series wins that helped secure a spot on the JEGS Allstars roster.
Curt Fredrich DIVISION 3
Won back-to-back titles this season in Indianapolis and Bowling Green, Ky., and then made it to the final of the NHRA U.S. Nationals. Came from third place to first during the final qualifying event.
Mike Morehead DIVISION 4
A sweep of the double divisional in Tulsa, Okla., was a key moment in his battle to make the JEGS Allstars team and a victory this season in Nobile, Okla., certainly didn’t hurt.
Larry Demers DIVISION 5
Was on fire to start the season, including a win at the Chicago national event followed by two more victories in a sweep of the inaugural Division 5 event at Flying H Dragstrip.
Bill King DIVISION 6
Claims he made the Allstars by listening to his wife/crew chief, which is never a bad idea. He has delivered solid results, including a win in Acton, Mont., which helped lock up a trip to Dallas.
David Cook DIVISION 7
Started the season with three runner-up finishes and then tacked on two wins, which makes him a contender for the world championship. Racing in place of Richard Okerman, who could not attend.
Dean Hall Blocker
A JEGS Allstars win is the gift that keeps on giving as defending champions get to return as a blocker. Last year, he put together a nearly perfect run in the final to prevent a Brandon Miller double.